by Dr. Sandy B. Carter, Jr., Big Canoe, Georgia
Volume 68, number 1, January 2021 Central States Archaeological Journal
The Myer Figurine (Fig. 1) is a well-documented seated male miniature statue, whose provenance dates back to its unearthing in 1896. In view of its uniqueness, artistry, outstanding pedigree and iconographic significance, it is appropriate to discuss this treasure.
The statuette is 3¾” in height and is made of yellow sandstone. It was found by Sam Stone Bush (Fig. 4) in Castalian Springs, Sumner County, Tennessee (40SU14). More specifically, it was excavated “in a stone slab grave near the banks of Lick Creek and near the Sulphur Springs in Cemetery No. 50” (Ref. 2, p.165). This cemetery was 1000 feet southwest of Mound 1 at Castalian Springs (Ref. 3). Prior to the 1830s Castalian Springs was called Bledsoe’s Lick. The palisaded area consisted of at least seven Mississippian earthen mounds with burial 34 in Mound 1 containing five quintessential shell gorgets (Ref. 2, pp. 168-176 and Ref. 4) including the Myer “Dancing Warrior” shell.
Sometimes referred to as the “Bush Figurine,” the statuette “was clasped in the right hand” of the interred. In the same grave was found a Pine Island shell gorget (A.D. 1300-1375, [Ref. 5] and [Ref. 2, p. 165]), that is now curated at the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) as catalog #15/859 (Fig. 2). This gorget was obtained from the Myer estate in 1926 by Gustav Heye and in 1989 by the NMAI (Ref. 2, p. xlv and Ref. 3).
On 2/20/1920, S.S. Bush gave the figurine to William Edward Myer (Fig. 5). Myer (1862-1923) was an archaeologist from Carthage, Tennessee who worked for the Smithsonian Institution’s Bureau of American Ethnology (Ref. 2, p. xxxiii). He explored Castalian Springs in 1891, 1893 and November 1916-January 1917 (Ref. 2, p. xlvi). Bush “felt that all the objects (from Castalian Springs) should be kept together in the interest of science… (and) without any solicitation, very generously presented them” to Myer (Ref. 2, p. 165).
At top: Figure 1. The Myer Figurine.
Photographs by the Author